You're the only one for me
by shiningpearl
Summary: Ichigo and Rukia had to marry to grant the last wish of Ichigo's parents. But Ichigo thinks he loves someone else. Rukia finally decides to leave him. will they ever meet again?keep reading to know and please review!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**This fic has been on my computer for a while now but I haven't written it further. So please review it if you like it, so that I can write the next chapter and update. Thanks. ^^**

A girl with short raven colored hair stood in the front of the window. She had his beautiful eyes fixed on the garage outside and she bit her lip as she looked outside. The last rays of the sun filtered through the window and lit her pale face. Suddenly someone placed a hand over her shoulder.

She turned.

"Ichi nii is late again?" A little girl with blonde hair said.

"Oh yeah… never mind. You two better have your lunch." The girl with raven hair said.

Her name was Rukia, Kurosaki Rukia to be precise.

"It's dinner time already. Karin chan and I ate hours ago. I was worried about you." The little girl said.

"Yuzu, I know that you have grown up but you still are not old enough to worry about me." Rukia said with affection as she placed her hand over Yuzu's cheek.

"But…." Yuzu wanted to say something.

"I'm not hungry." Rukia said softly.

Yuzu looked at her and left the room without saying anything.

"Ichi nee, you better keep her happy." She mumbled.

Yuzu was Rukia's sister in law, as Rukia was the wife of Karin and Yuzu's only brother Ichigo.

Rukia lost her parents in an accident. Ichigo's mother, Masaki who was best friend of Rukia's mother, took Rukia in after the death of her parents. Rukia was just 7 years old then. Rukia always felt indebted to Masaki and respected her very much. She wanted to pay that debt one day in one way or the other.

When Rukia and Ichigo got 15 years old, Masaki died leaving behind two twin daughters who were just 6 years old then. She had a last wish. She wanted Ichigo and Rukia to marry each other when they got older.

Only Ichigo's father, Kurosaki Isshin knew about her last wish. Rukia never made the two little girls feel the absence of their mother. She looked after them very keenly as she wanted to pay her debt to Kurosaki family. After Masaki's death, Isshin also fell ill. Rukia and Ichigo had just entered the college then. Kurosaki family was surely under cloud.

Ichigo and Rukia had to work part time to meet the expenses.

One day, Isshin called both of them to his room and told them about Masaki's last wish. They were extremely shocked to hear it. They were best friends but never had thought that way about each other. Rukia had feelings for him when they were young but she got over them as they got older because she knew that Ichigo did not feel the same way about her. Ichigo used to tell everything to her and the day he told her about his crush on another girl, Rukia decided to let go of him.

"Masaki is dead and I feel I don't have much time either. If you two marry, I will be able to die in peace." Isshin said to them.

Ichigo and Rukia didn't know what to do or what to say.

"You feel indebted to us, right? If you marry our son, it will be us who will be indebted to you." He said to Rukia.

"What are you talking about? You can never be indebted to me. Don't you consider me as your daughter?" Rukia said with tears in her eyes holding Isshin's hand.

"For all you have done for my family, you have become dearer to me even than my real daughters." He said smiling feebly. "Just do one more favor to us. Marry Ichigo before I die. I know that no other girl can take care of him or understand him as well as you can…. It is not only Masaki's last wish. It's my last wish too."

Ichigo and Rukia did not find courage to refuse. Therefore, they married each other in the first week of December 2010 at the age of mere 19.

Isshin died after two months of their marriage. He left a letter especially for Rukia in which he had thanked her.

Rukia looked at the calendar on the wall. It was July 2011 then. Almost 7 months had passed since their marriage. With each passing day, the distance between them was increasing. Even the bond of friendship that they shared had weakened.

They never exchanged bad words or anything but the silence between them was even more taunting to Rukia.

Ichigo tried his best to keep her happy (or at least that was what he thought) but Rukia knew that what he felt for her was respect for what she had done for his family, not love. However, since the past few weeks, Rukia had been feeling that even that respect had vanished.

Ichigo had been skipping the lunch after college for many days. He directly went to the shop where he had a part time job. Then he came back home late at night and always said that he had already taken the meal. Breakfast time was the only time they had to spend together. Even then, Rukia always waited for him to return at lunch and dinner. Mostly, she had to eat alone after waiting for an hour or two but that day, she did not want to eat alone at any cost because it was a very special day for her and for Ichigo.

She had even called Ichigo and had asked him to come back home at lunch at any cost. She was sure that he would come.

Even the last rays of sun vanished and so did the ray of hope in Rukia's heart. She lowered the curtains and walked towards the bed with heavy steps. She gently moved her hand over the side of the bed where Ichigo used to sleep.

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Just then, she heard the noise of the car outside.

"I knew he would come." Rukia said cheering up. She got up and went towards the door with lightening speed.

"Good evening." Ichigo said as she opened the door.

"You're late again." Rukia said smiling as Ichigo handed over his coat to Rukia.

"I'm sorry I got stuck in the traffic." Ichigo said.

"It's okay. Freshen up. I'll be waiting at the dining table." Rukia said.

"I…I have already had lunch….. But it's okay. I'll sit with you there and then you can tell me what you wanted to tell." Ichigo hurriedly completed his sentence.

"No, that's not fair. You promised that we'll eat together today." Rukia said grumpily. "Don't you like my cooking anymore?"

"It's nothing like that Rukia. It's just that some friends insisted to have lunch with them. Moreover I am getting late for the job. I just came home because you said you had an important thing to tell." Ichigo said.

"But I'm not going to tell you unless…." Rukia said pretending to be angry but Ichigo cut in.

"Okay, we'll have the dinner together, fine? Lunch time is over anyway." Ichigo said placing his hands over her shoulders.

"You are being selfish, Ichigo. I have not eaten anything just because of you and you know I cooked your favorite dish Manchurian." Rukia said.

"I don't like Manchurian and I am getting late for the job." Ichigo became a little rude.

"What are you talking about? You used to love it." Rukia said in disbelief.

"It is not necessary for our choices to remain the same whole life, is it?" Ichigo said casually.

"And your job is more important than me?" Rukia said.

"Please try to understand, Inoue." Ichigo said but within a moment, he understood that he had used the wrong name.

"I… I am extremely sorry, Rukia." He tried to make up for the blunder he had made but Rukia just stood there gazing at him. She felt as if someone had thrown a bomb on her.

"So that's the reason for his odd behavior. He hasn't forgotten Inoue yet." Rukia's mind was getting dizzy.

"It's okay. I'll tell you what I wanted to at dinner." Rukia finally said faking a smile.

"You're not mad at me, right?" Ichigo was feeling guilty for addressing her as Inoue.

"No, it's only natural. I can't ignore the fact that it was an arranged marriage after all. It takes time to forget someone… I know." Rukia said in a low voice.

"But you know that I love you, don't you?" Ichigo said holding her hand.

Rukia wanted desperately to believe that lie. She just kept quiet….

"See you at the dinner then." Ichigo said.

_Just gonna stand there  
And watch me burn  
But that's alright  
Because I like  
The way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there  
And hear me cry  
But that's alright  
Because I love  
The way you lie  
I love the way you lie  
I love the way you lie_

Rukia pressed the clothes as she listened to the song playing on radio.

Suddenly the cell phone placed on the side table of the bed began to ring. Ichigo had forgotten to take the cell phone with him. Rukia couldn't decide whether she should attend the call or not.

"I'm his wife. There's nothing wrong with attending the call on his cell phone." She thought as she picked up the phone.

"Kurosaki kun, why were you not picking up my phone? Was Kuchiki san around? Anyways thank you for paying for the lunch today. It was the best date ever." A girl spoke at the other side. "I also wanted to thank you to help me get the job. I'll start coming at the shop from tomorrow. Will boss be okay with it?"

Rukia couldn't misjudge that voice. It was Orihime Inoue, Ichigo's first love.

She was more womanly and much more delicate than Rukia. Moreover, she was tall, had long hair and above everything, she was stupid. A typical sort of girl a teenager would fall for.

Ichigo was not the only person at the high school that wanted to date her but he was the only person to whom she returned the feelings.

Rukia could never forget the day when Ichigo told her that he loved Inoue. They were 15 back then. The funny thing was that Ichigo wanted Rukia to help him confess to Orihime. Rukia felt hurt at first because she had feelings for Ichigo. Then she decided to act as a true friend and sacrifice her love for the sake of his love.

However, the circumstances twisted and turned and fate made Ichigo give up Inoue and brought Ichigo and Rukia together. Although Ichigo's behavior was sometimes really frustrating for Rukia after marriage but she had faith that one day, everything would be all right. However, Inoue's call that day and what she said on phone made Rukia's heart sink.

Rukia couldn't say anything. There was nothing left to say. She just placed the phone back on the side table.

She walked towards the mirror and looked at her reflection into it.

"What was I thinking about? I was a fool to think I would be able to make him forget her. How could I? I am just an ordinary girl. I can never be as glamorous as Inoue. I'm just ruining Ichigo's life." She thought.

She stood there for a while as if in some kind of trance. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She had made the decision.

"Hey, I'm home." Ichigo said as he opened the bedroom door.

He looked here and there but couldn't find Rukia. It was 10 p.m. and Rukia should have been in the room for sure.

He felt a bit concerned. It was the first time Rukia hadn't welcomed him home with a smile. It felt odd. He went towards the bed and saw a folded piece of paper on the side table. He unfolded it. Something was written on it and Ichigo could easily recognize Rukia's writing.

_Dear Ichigo,_

_I have written this just to tell you that I love you _

_and I can't see you in pain or misery. _

"She could simply tell me that. What is the purpose of telling it in written form? We are married after all." Ichigo mumbled mockingly.

But he couldn't believe what was written further.

_Thanks a lot for giving me a home and such a nice family_

_But I was probably not worth it._

_That's why I am leaving your world so that you... _

_You may live your life on your own accord as _

_I sometimes feel nothing more than a burden on you_

_after all. I am sorry I couldn't keep the promise I made _

_to dad. Please take care of yourself and the two _

_little girls, sleep and eat on time as I won't be there _

_to force you to do so. _

Ichigo just couldn't believe it. He read the whole letter and each word gave him a new wound. Rukia had also written that she was pregnant and it was what she wanted to tell him.

"No, it can't be. She can't leave me. It's certainly some kind of joke." Ichigo mumbled.

He had already begun to feel empty and lonely without her. For the first time in his life, he realized how special she was to him.

Just then he caught the sight of his cell phone and when he saw Inoue's cell number among received calls, he understood everything.

He couldn't sleep that night. It seemed to be the longest night ever, a night without her…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Here is the second chapter. Please do tell me whether you like it or not. Your opinion is really important. ^^  
**

"Where can she go on such a night? She doesn't even have anywhere else to go." Ichigo got up after an hour of uneasiness on bed.

"I have to go find that idiotic girl. After all she is my…my responsibility." Ichigo was still not ready to admit that he really loved her.

He cast a quick look at the room and walked towards the door.

With each step, it was getting hard for Rukia to walk. It was dark and there was little traffic on the road. She was walking on the sidewalk. There was moisture in the air and the glow of the full moon was shadowed by the enraged clouds whose thunder made Rukia's wounded heart tremble.

Suddenly, raindrops began to wet Rukia's face.

Rukia had no idea where she was going. She just knew that she had to go far away…for the sake of the man who was supposed to be her shelter against rain.

In no time, the mild drizzling turned into wild storm. Rukia couldn't go further, so she stood under the shade of a huge oak tree. It was the tree in the shade of which, Ichigo and Rukia used to eat ice cream after school everyday.

"I never thought I would ever stand here without you." Rukia said sadly.

Suddenly, the ribbon Rukia had used to tie up hair unknotted by itself due to the force of the wind and fell in the center of the road. Rukia rushed towards it.

Just then, a car came almost flying from nowhere.

The headlights dazzled Rukia's eyes and she crossed her hands in the front of her face as shield. It was just about to hit Rukia when the driver applied the brakes.

"Are you crazy?" A tomboyish girl snarled as she got out of the car. "You could have been dead."

Rukia lowered her hands. She couldn't believe that she did not get hit.

"Rukia…it's you? What the hell are you doing here on such a night? And where's Ichigo?" Tatsuki bombarded her with many questions.

"I was…." Rukia looked at the spot where the ribbon was but it was not there anymore.

Perhaps the wind had carried it away to somewhere else.

"It's gone. No, it can't be." Rukia said in a low voice.

"What's gone? What are you talking about?" Tatsuki said looking confused.

"The ribbon that Ichigo gave to me on my 16th birthday….." Rukia said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Rukia, it was just a ribbon. You can simply ask Ichigo to buy you a new one on your next birthday." Tatsuki said. Tatsuki used to be her class fellow in high school.

"Perhaps I can't…." Rukia mumbled.

"Something is seriously wrong with you. Come on, get into the car." Tatsuki said.

"But…" Rukia wanted to say something but Tatsuki had already opened the car door for her.

Ichigo had no idea where he might find her. He was walking aimlessly on the empty road.

The raindrops dripped from the umbrella and even the raincoat could not make him escape from the rain.

Just then, a ribbon came flying with wind. Ichigo caught it. Other than the child that was not born yet, It was the only thing connected to Ichigo that Rukia had taken with her.

"So she even threw it away, huh? It means that she really has decided to close the chapter in which we were together…" Ichigo mumbled looking at the ribbon in his hand.

Ichigo's heart ached even at the thought of this.

"If she thinks I can't live without her, I bet she is wrong. And she knows that she loses every bet to me." Ichigo tried to deceive himself.

* * *

_**-I can live my whole life with your memories but can't spend a day without you.**_

_**

* * *

**_

Ichigo put off the raincoat, walked towards the room of his sisters, slowly opened the door and looked inside.

The girls were sleeping soundly.

"This means they don't know anything." Ichigo thought.

He closed the door and silently went towards his room. A few hours ago, it was not his room. It was their room.

Rukia had decorated it herself. Everything in that room was of her own choice.

As Ichigo was about to turn off the light, he caught the sight of a picture on the side table of the bed. He instinctively picked it up.

"How could you walk out of my life so easily?" Ichigo said holding the picture in his hands in which he had his arms around Rukia.

"Why did you let me hold you when you had to go away?" he said in a trembling voice.

That picture was one of the sweetest memories he had of her. He even could remember the most minor of the details of that day…

He could clearly remember that day. There was convocation and a small concert at the high school and their mid term result was also announced. Back then, they used to be best of the best friends.

He was sitting in a lonely corner of school when Rukia came.

"You are sitting here and I have been looking for you in the whole school." She said.

Ichigo kept quiet.

"You got a D again?" Rukia said looking at him.

"Who told you?" Ichigo said looking down at his feet.

"Do I need anyone to tell me? Just tell me how long have we been together." Rukia said.

"It's almost been 8 years or so?" Ichigo said.

"Exactly and don't you think that 8 years are enough for me to read my best friend's face?" Rukia said.

"I don't know…You must have gotten straight A's, right?" Ichigo said in a low voice.

"Err... Well yes but do the grades even matter? Be thankful to God that you have not failed." Rukia said scratching her forehead.

"Why does this always happen to me? I worked so hard this time and you know it! Even then the result is the same." Ichigo was furious.

"It's just that we don't always get what we want in life. You should not take it upon your heart." Rukia said soothingly.

"It's easy for you to say. You can't understand what I'm going through right now! That's because you don't have the burden of the expectations of your parents on your shoulders." Ichigo yelled.

"And that's because I have no parents, right?" Rukia said. She probably felt hurt at what Ichigo said.

"I...I didn't mean that." Ichigo tried to justify himself.

"It's okay but you know that sometimes when I see your parents scolding you, I just wish my parents were there to scold me like that too….. Anyways you are afraid to show your result card to your parents, aren't you?" Rukia said.

"Yeah, kind of." Ichigo said after a moment of hesitation.

"You can show my result card to them. Is it okay now?" Rukia said handing her result card over to him.

"But …but how is it possible?" Ichigo was surprised.

"Our names have not been mentioned on the result cards. There are just our roll numbers and I don't think so that mom and dad remember your roll number." Rukia said.

"But I don't want to lie to them." Ichigo said.

"You should temporarily show it to them and then I'll tell them the truth myself in appropriate way on appropriate time." Rukia said cheerily.

"That's my best friend." Ichigo said taking the result card from her.

"I don't know what would have become of me by now if you were not there." Ichigo said.

"You have flattered me enough. All the seats for the concert must have been occupied by now, you idiot." Rukia said.

"Let's hurry up then." Ichigo said.

"Wait a minute. Let me do this first." Rukia said taking out a camera from her bag. "Fortunately, I brought it today."

"Oh great." Ichigo mumbled.

"Don't you know how to pose for a photo? Do not stand like a statue. Do something." Rukia said.

"Like what?" Ichigo asked.

"My best friend is an idiot. Just put an arm around my waist if you can't do anything else." Rukia said angrily.

"That sounds weird. I mean I'm your friend, not your boy friend." Ichigo said blushing.

"Come on, Ichigo. It's just a pose." Rukia said.

"Alright. I'll do it." Ichigo said as he put his arms around her.

"Best friends forever!" Rukia said as she took the picture holding the camera in one hand at a particular distance and making a victory sign with the other.

Ichigo's eyes ached as if they desperately wanted to shed tears.

He moved his hand gently over the picture and then turned it down on the side table.

"I think I'm losing the bet already." Ichigo said softly.

"Get up!" Someone shook Ichigo by arm.

"Let me sleep, Rukia." Ichigo said without opening his eyes as he pulled the blanket that has almost fallen on the carpet below the bed.

"It is me….Yuzu, Ichi nii." Yuzu said in a low voice.

"What do you want?" Ichigo said with his eyes still shut. He was half-asleep.

"Where is Rukia nee san?" Yuzu asked.

This made Ichigo open his eyes at once.

"So it was not just a horrible dream after all." Ichigo mumbled.

"She has left us, hasn't she?" Yuzu said. "Please don't try to lie to me as I have already read the letter she left."

"Then what do you want from me?" Ichigo said flatly.

"Please bring back nee san, Ichi nii. How'll we live without…?" Yuzu couldn't hold back her tears.

"It's our personal matter, Yuzu and you are too young to interfere." Ichigo suddenly became loud.

"I think she did the right thing….You don't deserve her anyway." Yuzu sobbed.

"You are talking to your elder brother, Yuzu!" Ichigo was furious.

Yuzu rushed out of the room without saying anything else but her words had their effect on Ichigo.

It was already morning. Ichigo got out of bed, as he had to get ready for college.

A smile appeared on his face as he opened the closet. Rukia had pressed and hung his clothes in the closet before going.

"Why did you make me so dependant on you when I had to live the rest of my life without you? Why?" Ichigo thought.

That day at the college was a total mess because Rukia was not there. Ichigo missed her every moment he spent there. His ears were so used to her lovely chatter that the whole world seemed to be haunted without her….

* * *

_**-Sometimes, I prefer walking silently with your shadow to every joy in the world.**_

_**

* * *

**_

"No girl can ever take your place, not even Orihime…I give up, Rukia. I admit that I can't live without you." Ichigo said looking at Rukia's photo placed at the side table.

It was 7 p.m. and Ichigo had not gone to the job. Orihime called her almost a hundred times but he did not receive even a single call. He did not want to talk to anyone.

His phone began to ring once more. He kept staring at it for a while and then finally picked it up.

"Kurosaki kun! Where the hell are you? I have been calling you for almost 2 hours. Why weren't you picking up the phone?" Orihime seemed to be really pissed.

"Inoue, calm down." Ichigo said.

"You are asking me to calm down? You have not come to the shop and you didn't even call me to tell the reason. Moreover, when I called, you didn't pick up the phone. What's wrong with you? Why are you avoiding me like this?" Inoue went on.

"Rukia had to bear this kind of behavior for so long but she didn't complain even once." Ichigo thought.

"Say something." Orihime said.

"I'll tell you if you let me speak. Rukia is not at home and my little sisters can't cook. I have to help them cook!" Ichigo said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, then I'm coming after getting permission from boss. I'll cook for you, right?" Orihime said finally calming down.

"Okay, I wanted to speak to you about something, too." Ichigo said as he ended the call.

"So you left your home just because of this?" Tatsuki said angrily as she took a sip of coffee as Rukia finished telling her the whole thing.

"Isn't this reason enough for a woman to leave her home?" Rukia said.

"At least the Rukia I know would never have done such a thing. You were such a strong girl." Tatsuki said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Love makes us all weak….and besides, what should have I done?" Rukia said in a low voice.

"You should have kicked him as you used to do in high school days and set him right." Tatsuki said raising her fist. "Those were wonderful days."

Rukia smiled.

"Things are different now, Tatsuki. He is my husband now." Rukia said.

"That's even better, don't you think? You'll have to go back, Rukia." Tatsuki said.

"I can't. It's too late." Rukia said in a low voice.

"It's never too late. Ichigo would have learnt his lesson by now. He wouldn't say a word. I bet that dunce can't even spend a night without you." Tatsuki said. "At least do it for your child's sake. Do you want him or her to grow up without a father like you?"

"No….I would never want that." Rukia said.

"Then, hurry up. I'll drop you home." Tatsuki said getting up.

"La-lala-lala. Kurosaki kun, dinner is ready!" Orihime yelled in her high-pitched voice from the kitchen as she removed the gloves.

"I just wish for her cooking not to be as unbearable as she is!" Karin whispered in Yuzu's ear.

Yuzu giggled.

"Okay, now it will be really kind of you two if you let us eat on the dining table….alone, I mean." Orihime said.

"It's okay; we'll eat in our room." Karin said.

"Our whole family used to eat together when nee san was here." Yuzu whispered to Karin in a sad voice.

"Did you like the food?" Orihime said gazing at the candle that she had lit between them.

Ichigo seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

"Kurosaki Kun, what is it?" Orihime said.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." Ichigo said getting out of the trance.

"It seems that your mind is somewhere else." Orihime said grumpily.

"Orihime, I want to say something." Ichigo said.

Orihime said nothing.

"I… I wanted to tell you that I can't date you anymore." Ichigo said after a moment of hesitation.

"What? Do you have any idea about what are you saying? I just left my ex- boyfriend because of you." Orihime suddenly flared up.

"I'm extremely sorry, Inoue but you know that I am married and I have a wife. Our relationship is ruining my matrimonial life." Ichigo said.

"Oh great! Didn't you care about your wife when you dated me so many times? Why don't you simply say that you want to dump me?" Orihime said.

"It's not like that. You are such a great girl. You'll find many guys better than me but…It's just that you are not the one for me. A day without Rukia had made me realize how special she was to me. I love my wife and I hope you understand." Ichigo said.

"I'm sorry, Inoue." Ichigo said as he accompanied Orihime to her car.

"At least give me a good bye hug." Orihime said.

Ichigo hesitated for a moment and then went for it.

Just then, a car stopped at some distance that Ichigo didn't notice.

"It seems that he doesn't need me….He is quite happy with Inoue." Rukia said faking a smile.

"I'm sorry, Rukia. It's my entire fault. If I had known that he was such a heartless person, I would never have recommended you to go back." Tatsuki said as she turned the car back.

_**After 9 months…**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**-seconds change into minutes, minutes change into hours, hours change into days and days change into months, everything changes except the fact that I still love you…**_

_**

* * *

**_

It was a May morning. Ichigo stood by the window as he looked outside. He was feeling very uneasy that day.

"Another day without you I guess…but I'll wait for you till my last breath." He sighed.

Tatsuki was walking uneasily outside the labor room in the hospital.

"Where is Kurosaki Rukia's husband?" the doctor asked.

"He isn't here. I'm with her. Tell me what you want to." Tatsuki said.

"Congratulations, a beautiful baby girl is born but I am afraid the mother is not in good condition." The doctor said.

"Can I see her?" Tatsuki asked impatiently.

"I'm afraid that I can't let you." The doctor apologized.

"The patient wants to have a few words with someone named Tatsuki." Suddenly a nurse came out.

"I'm… I'm Tatsuki." Tatsuki said.

"Okay, I can let you have 5 minutes." The doctor said.

"Rukia…" Tatsuki said holding Rukia's hand as her eyes welled up with tears.

"Tatsuki…I want you to do a last favor to me." Rukia said in weak voice that alarmed Tatsuki.

"Please take my daughter to his father. You don't have to explain anything to him…Just leave her on his door step with this note." Rukia said handing over a note to her.

"You still want to trust him after all what you saw that day?" Tatsuki said.

"Don't say that. He is a good person I know. He'll take good care of her…Please do it for me. I…I don't want my daughter to live a miserable life without parents like me." Rukia said.

Tatsuki nodded slowly.

"Do you promise?" Rukia said softly.

"Yes, I promise." Tatsuki said.

Rukia closed her eyes. For the first time in her life, she felt so peaceful.

"I wish I could see you one more time before leaving this world. Ichigo, I wish that the last thing I could hear was that you loved me…" Rukia mumbled as she took the last breath.

"Rukia! Please open your eyes…. Rukia!" Tatsuki shook her as she cried.

It was the end of her miseries; it was the end of all the pain because it was the end of her life….

* * *

_**-I know that my wish to have you by my side when I breathe my last will not be granted because if it is, I'll wish for another chance to live." **_

_**

* * *

**_

"I love you Rukia. You're the only one for me." Ichigo said as he closed the window….

It was 10 p.m. Ichigo had just returned home from job. It was a tiring day and he wanted to sleep as soon as possible.

He opened the drawer and took out sleeping pills. He had to depend on them to sleep ever since Rukia left.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the main door.

"Who is it?" Ichigo said as he went towards the door.

"Who can it be at such a time?" he mumbled as he opened the door.

He looked here and there but there was no one there. Just then, he looked down on the doorstep.

There was something wrapped in a blanket in the basket and it was moving.

Ichigo intriguingly picked it up. To his surprise, it was a baby.

"Who would leave such an angelic child on someone else's door step?" Ichigo said. Suddenly he caught sight of the note tied to the basket.

_Take good care of our daughter._

_-Rukia._

Ichigo didn't know how to react. He looked here and there in hope to see Rukia but couldn't see anyone. He kissed her daughter on her cheek and took her inside.

_**-26**__**th**__** December 2017.**_

_**Place: Karakura town.**_

_**Location: The Kurosaki mansion.**_

"How did you first day at school go?" Ichigo said to his little daughter.

"It was boring. I don't want to go there again." The little girl said.

"Hikari, you should not be saying such things." Ichigo said.

"Everyone at school had his mom! Why don't I have a mother?" Hikari yelled.

Ichigo felt as if someone stabbed his heart.

"Hikari, your mom will definitely come back this time on your birthday. You know that she is abroad for her job." Ichigo told the same lie that he had been telling for years.

"You always lie to me. I know she will never come!" Hikari yelled as she went running towards her room.

_**At the same time, high above in the sky…**_

_**Place: Seretei**_

_**Location: Sixth squad barracks.**_

"Did you call me nii sama?" Rukia said as she entered a room where a man with an elegant personality was sitting on the chair.

"Yes, I have summoned you because I had to tell you something." The man said.

"Kuchiki Rukia, as the third seat of sixth squad, you are ordered to take Abarai Renji's position on earth who was injured yesterday."

"On which area would I have to focus?" Rukia asked.

"Karakura town." He replied.

"Right!" Rukia said as she bowed slightly and went out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Hi! I hope that all of you readers are fine. Please give me your feedback about the story. It will be extremely kind of you and it really keeps me going. I especially want to thank my beloved friend Stellar Aura(an excellent writer herself) who helped me a lot with this chapter. Thanks a lot and thanks to all of you too for reading and reviewing in advance. ^^**

Hikari had put up a note on the door saying LEAVE ME ALONE. Ichigo turned the door handle carefully trying to avoid any sort of sound. Hikari was in her bed and was either actually sleeping soundly or was just pretending. She had her arms around her mother's picture.

Ichigo's heart ached as he saw her. He had a feeling that something had gone wrong with her because she did the same whenever something went wrong.

"How did your first day at school go?" Ichigo said sitting beside her.

No reply came.

"Hikari, I know you are not sleeping." Ichigo said moving his fingers through her hair.

"So?" Hikari said without opening her eyes.

"So you are supposed to answer your father." Ichigo said.

"What do you want to know? Do you want to hear how much I suffered today?" Hikari yelled.

"Hikari, Is that the right way to talk to your dad?" Ichigo said taking a deep breath.

"I don't care! You can't even imagine how I felt when everyone mocked as I told them that I have never seen my mom in my life as she lives abroad for business." Hikari said.

"So that's what happened." Ichigo mumbled.

"Why did you tell them about her?" Ichigo said looking at her with affection.

"What should have I done? Everyone was telling about their family and I …" Hikari's eyes welled up with tears.

Ichigo did not know how to console her. He brought her close to himself but said nothing.

"My classmates were saying that I was a fool to believe my dad and that my mother is either dead or she does not care for me at all." Hikari said wiping her tears.

"They are wrong. Don't believe them…." Ichigo didn't know what else to say.

"I no longer know whom to believe." Hikari said in a low voice.

"Fine, I'll call your mom and ask her to come as soon as possible." Ichigo said getting up.

"Promise?" Hikari's eyes suddenly began to shine.

"Yeah, I promise…" Ichigo said that though he didn't know why he said that.

* * *

The softly blowing wind pushed Rukia's hair away from her face. As much as she hated it, she had to stay at Urahara's shop as a free loader as long as she was on earth. Staying there was one of the greatest difficulties she had to face there on earth. She seriously needed a better option to consider, as she felt suffocated there. That's why she had come out for some fresh air early in the morning.

It was 7 a.m. and there were very few people on the road. Rukia was walking aimlessly. Suddenly a little girl caught her attention. She had a heavy bag over her shoulders, which indicated that she was off to school. She looked extremely adorable and an orange haired man accompanied her, whom Rukia assumed to be her elder brother.

It was her second day in the human world and they were the first one to attract her attention. Rukia instinctively began to follow her. She didn't know why she was doing it. She was just doing it and her eyes were fixed right at that man's face that felt extremely strange yet extremely familiar to her.

"Dad, you will fulfill your promise, right?" the little girl said.

Rukia felt as if she had heard something wrong.

"Dad? Is that guy even married?" Rukia had to look hard at him.

A smile appeared on her face.

"Too young to be a dad." She thought.

She became more interested in their conversation and tried to get closer without being noticed.

"Hikari, how many times would I have to repeat it?" the man said.

"So her name is Hikari… If I had a daughter, I would have named her Hikari too." Rukia thought.

"Well what am I thinking about?" she blushed.

Just then, a beep of her soul detector snapped Rukia out of her thoughts. Before she could evaluate the situation, she heard a scream.

She immediately looked up and couldn't breathe when she saw that the little girl had just been grasped by a giant hollow which came out of just nowhere.

Her dad looked appalled and tried to get a hold of her but was pushed aside by the hollow.

He fell onto the ground.

"Hikari!" Rukia yelled unintentionally.

Ichigo didn't know what to do. He was completely helpless. He looked in the direction of the woman who just screamed.

He couldn't believe his eyes. It was Rukia….

Rukia's gigai dropped on the ground as she transformed. She took out her zampaktou and gave a blow on the hollows arm, which made it drop Hikari.

"Thanks God! I made it in time." She heaved a sigh of relief as she had at least distracted the damned thing that began to move in her direction.

She wanted to finish it off at some distance from those two to ensure their safety, so she began to run. The hollow followed.

* * *

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled as he saw Rukia collapse. He couldn't decide to which side to go.

On one side was Hikari who was constantly yelling and on the other side was Rukia who

had collapsed.

Before he could make a decision, suddenly Hikari fell onto ground and rushed towards her dad looking terrified.

"Are you…are you alright?" Ichigo asked looking extremely worried. Hikari nodded.

"I am so glad that you are fine." Ichigo hugged her.

"Dad, what was it?" Hikari asked but her dad didn't answer as he got up and rushed towards a woman lying still nearby on the road. Hikari followed.

"I think that this is the right spot to finish it off." Rukia said looking here and there.

She had managed to bring the hollow away from the main road.

She came upon it with full might and cut it into two pieces.

"Mission complete!" Rukia smiled. Just then she remembered that her body was still back there on the road.

She rushed towards the spot but was shocked to see that it was not there.

"Where can it go by itself?" Rukia was frustrated.

Just then, she caught the sight of Hikari and Ichigo at some distance.

"What are they still doing here?" Rukia thought.

She got her answer when she saw her gigai on a bench before them.

"She is my mom, right?" Hikari asked.

She had only seen her mom in pictures but took less than a second to recognize her.

Ichigo nodded.

"What has happened to her? Is she alright?" Hikari was desperate.

Ichigo didn't answer. He bit his lip as he felt Rukia's pulse.

"Please don't leave me all alone once more." Ichigo mumbled, as he got closer to her.

She wasn't breathing. He had to do something.

Rukia rushed towards Ichigo and Hikari.

"I didn't know he was such a pervert." Rukia said.

Before their lips could meet, Rukia got back into her body and punched him hard.

**I know that the chapter is a bit short but please still give me your feedback about it.**

**Special thanks to:**

**sakurenjiDREamer**

**KachinaGirl**

**SvetlanaSparkle**

**deep abyss**

**xoxokiss210**

**SunRises**

**Cherryblossom snow**

**Rhiliniel Aralith**

**isaraaries**

**xxxevil cookiexxx**

**StellarAura**

**falconrukichi**

**rukia kurosaki 4ever****  
**

**soinlovewithbleach**

**Rukes**

**xdayanarax**

**anime-lover-2410**

**55mani**** for reviewing the last chapter.**

**Well one of the readers wanted to know about how far I am going to take this story.**

**It depends upon how much you guys encourage me. So keep sending in your awesome reviews. Of course, I won't drag it too much. Have nice day. ^^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"**I am really sorry for updating after so long. However, I promise I'll try to update as soon as possible now. Please give me your views and reviews about the chapter so that I can continue. Thanks a lot for reading and liking the story. Even if you don't like the story, feel free to tell me. Have a nice day ahead.^^"**

"You pervert!" Rukia kicked him so hard that it took quite some time for Ichigo to comprehend what had happened.

" I really deserved that, Rukia." Ichigo said getting up.

"Yeah, yeah… I know." Rukia said scornfully.

"Hey! How do you know my name?" Rukia looked astounded.

"What are you talking about Rukia?" Ichigo said coming closer.

"Keep some distance young man." Rukia said.

"How can a man forget his soul mate's name?" Ichigo continued ignoring what Rukia said.

"Oh I see. So I'm your soul mate?" Rukia said tauntingly.

"Do you say this to every beautiful woman you encounter?"

"What kind of joke is this, Rukia? I know whatever I did before was wrong but I have already suffered a lot because of that… Not only me but our daughter, too." Ichigo said pointing towards Hikari. "Please don't punish me more." Ichigo was desperate.

"Did I kick him so hard that he lost his mind?" Rukia thought.

"Look! I don't know what you are talking about. I just know one thing that I just don't know you." Rukia said.

"Don't say this Rukia. It really hurts." Ichigo felt as if someone had stabbed his heart.

"Mom!" Hikari who hadn't been a part of the conversation till now suddenly rushed towards Rukia and hugged her.

"For God's sake! I'm not your mom." Rukia almost yelled. She was frustrated now.

Hikari stepped back and looked towards Rukia. Rukia could clearly see the tears in those pretty eyes.

She really felt bad for Hikari but couldn't think of any other way to get out of the situation.

"I am going and don't try to follow me." Rukia said firmly.

"Wait!" Ichigo said as Rukia began to walk away.

Rukia frowned.

"Now what?" she said.

"Before leaving, at least say that you remember me…" Ichigo said in a low voice.

"Oh man! How am I supposed to remember you when I have met you for the first time today? You guys have misunderstood something." Rukia said turning to face him.

"I don't believe you." Ichigo said looking into her eyes.

Rukia couldn't meet the gaze. There really was something in his eyes that made Rukia feel that she knew him.

"Please don't make me repeat myself that I don't know you." Rukia said looking away.

Ichigo stepped back. He could say no more. Rukia walked away with heavy steps.

Something in her heart kept telling her that something had gone wrong….

* * *

"This town is full of problems." Rukia mumbled as she got back into her gigai.

She had just finished off a stupid hollow and was totally exhausted.

A week in the Karakura town had been a disaster for her. Day by day, workload on her was increasing.

The sun was about to set. She was going back to Urahara's place. The street she was passing through was not a crowded street. There were lanes of houses on either side of the street. The streetlights had been switched on and it was getting colder moment after moment.

She put her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she looked here and there at the houses. Suddenly one of the houses caught her attention. It was not very huge but somehow it looked attractive. She unintentionally walked towards it.

There was a glass window and the folded curtains allowed her to see what she was shocked to see. Up on the wall was a huge picture in which there was the man with orange hair she encountered that day. But the fact that shocked her was that the woman standing beside him in the picture strikingly resembled Rukia!

Rukia felt a current running through her body. She didn't know what reaction to show.

Just then someone put a hand over her shoulder. She came out of the trance and turned.

Standing behind her was Ichigo.

Rukia felt as if she had forgotten how to speak. Ichigo also stood silent.

There remained silence for a painful minute. Then Rukia finally spoke out.

"I .. I am rrrealy sorry. I mean… You were right. Your wife does resemble me." Rukia struggled with the words.

" I know." Ichigo smiled.

"Please forgive me for being harsh that day." Rukia said.

"You were not harsh… but its not a good thing to peek into other's house." Ichigo forced a smile.

"I…I am sorry. But can you please tell me about all this? I mean where is your wife now?" Rukia asked with concern.

"It's a personal matter." Ichigo said flatly.

"But I really want to know and besides…" Rukia left her sentence incomplete.

"Besides?" Ichigo said.

"I feel like being a part of it now…" Rukia said in a low voice.

"Fine, I'll tell you but at one cost." Ichigo said meaningfully.

Rukia looked at him inquisitively.

"You'll have to come inside for some tea." Ichigo said.

**Author's note;**

I am thankful to all of the readers and especially to the following who reviewed the last chapter…

XXXichirukiXXX

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teshichan


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